64 FERTILITY OF SOIL. 



that would bear a close clover aftermath at a period so distant 

 from the time of being seeded, and cannot withhold my belief 

 in the fertile qualities of a soil capable of doing so. Mr. 

 M'Connell has no doubt that the prairie land would benefit by 

 the occasional application of manure, but he never met with 

 any other soil so constantly productive without it. He has 

 known the first wheat crop pay the price of the land, with the 

 cost of fencing it, and all labour, and leave a small balance 

 over. 



With regard to sheep-farming, his opinion is that corn and 

 hay should first be provided by a few years' cultivation, before 

 going largely into a flock. The prairie grass will furnish sum- 

 mer keep at little or no cost, but provision must be made for the 

 winter. Good merinos can be bought for 8s. to 12s. 6d. a-head 

 in flocks. There is probably no kind of farming on the prairies 

 from which the returns would be so regular and certain. 



Mr. M'Connell had tried a timber country before coming 

 here, and was very energetic in expressing his opinion of the 

 superior advantages to a settler on the prairie. 



When in the capital I did myself the honour of visiting the 

 Governor, who lives in a handsome house provided for him by 

 the State, who also grant him the modest revenue of 500/. a 

 year. He was a distinguished soldier in the Mexican war, and 

 had long been one of the Senators of Congress. He has the 

 highest hopes of the future of Illinois, and he, like other men 

 of character and position to whom I have put the question, ex- 

 pressed the belief that fever and ague in this State are on the 

 decline, though from special causes there had this year been ah 

 exceptional prevalence of both.. 



I visited also the State House, where the two branches of 

 the State Legislature hold their sittings, and in which are the 

 bureaux of the various state officers. The Secretary of State 

 very politely showed me over the building ; the State Auditor 



